Blue Fairy Book

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such haste? Will you not stay and sup with me?" The merchant refused, saying that he had a reason; and, on Ali Baba's asking
him what that was, he replied: "It is, sir, that I can eat no victuals that have any salt in them." "If that is all," said Ali Baba, "let
me tell you that there shall be no salt in either the meat or the bread that we eat to-night." He went to give this order to
Morgiana, who was much surprised. "Who is this man," she said, "who eats no salt with his meat?" "He is an honest man,
Morgiana," returned her master; "therefore do as I bid you." But she could not withstand a desire to see this strange man, so she
helped Abdallah to carry up the dishes, and saw in a moment that Cogia Hassan was the robber Captain, and carried a dagger
under his garment. "I am not surprised," she said to herself, "that this wicked man, who intends to kill my master, will eat no
salt with him; but I will hinder his plans."
She sent up the supper by Abdallah, while she made ready for one of the boldest acts that could be thought on. When the
dessert had been served, Cogia Hassan was left alone with Ali Baba and his son, whom he thought to make drunk and then to
murder them. Morgiana, meanwhile, put on a head-dress like a dancing-girl's, and clasped a girdle round her waist, from which
hung a dagger with a silver hilt, and said to Abdallah: "Take your tabor, and let us go and divert our master and his guest."
Abdallah took his tabor and played before Morgiana until they came to the door, where Abdallah stopped playing and Morgiana
made a low courtesy. "Come in, Morgiana," said Ali Baba, "and let Cogia Hassan see what you can do"; and, turning to Cogia
Hassan, he said: "She's my slave and my housekeeper." Cogia Hassan was by no means pleased, for he feared that his chance of
killing Ali Baba was gone for the present; but he pretended great eagerness to see Morgiana, and Abdallah began to play and
Morgiana to dance. After she had performed several dances she drew her dagger and made passes with it, sometimes pointing it
at her own breast, sometimes at her master's, as if it were part of the dance. Suddenly, out of breath, she snatched the tabor from
Abdallah with her left hand, and, holding the dagger in her right hand, held out the tabor to her master. Ali Baba and his son put
a